1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to closure mechanisms for reclosable pouches, and more particularly, to such closure mechanisms that create a desirable sound for the user during closure.
2. Background of the Related Art
Thermoplastic bags are used to store various items. Typically, a closure mechanism allows selective sealing and unsealing of the bag. Use of closure mechanisms has been widely used and well understood in the art.
Some examples are illustrated in the following: U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,147 discloses a plastic bag having male and female resealable interlocking elements integrally attached thereto for selectively opening and closing an end of the bag; U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,329 discloses a reclosable bag having an assembly that includes first and second male arrow-shaped profiles extending perpendicularly from a first base; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,597 discloses a zipper strip for a reclosable package, wherein the zipper strip includes a male and a female profile, wherein each male member has an asymmetrical arrow shape so that the zipper is easier to open from one side than the other.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,542, issued to Cisek on Oct. 11, 2005, discloses a bag closure device with a stepped deflection of the closure device to result in a popping sound as the closure is opened or closed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,100, issued to Porchia et al. on Jul. 15, 1997 (the '100 patent), discloses a deforming head apparatus for creating indentations in a portion of a bag zipper to create a bumpy feel and/or an audible clicking sound upon opening and closing.
Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,727, issued to Dais et al. on Aug. 25, 1992 (the '727 patent), discloses a zipper for a reclosable bag which produced a bumpy feel and/or an audible clicking sound. The zipper of the '727 patent has two opposing, longitudinally extending interlockable rib and groove profiles configured so that intermittent parts of the profiles are structurally discontinuous along a length thereof. The intermittent parts are created by a deformer wheel such that the segments with indentions have lesser relative length than those segments without indentions so as to minimize the likelihood or incidence of liquid leakage through the interlocked zipper.
Despite the advances in zippers for plastic bags, deficiencies remain in that one cannot be sure that the zipper is properly closed to seal the bag. For example, although the zipper may produce an audible sound, the sound may not be easily heard or recognized as closing the bag by the user.